Method and means for packaging expansible products

Abstract

Method and means are provided for applying a compressing force to normally expanded products to compact the same and while the products are compressed they are held in this condition by retaining means that permit the compressing force to be removed and afford access to the compactly compressed products to enable them to be enclosed in a package.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a method for packaging products in a container having an opening comprising the steps of: inserting the container into a compressing apparatus having a side opening,   placing the products so as to be introduced into the apparatus and the container through the apparatus opening and container opening;   closing the apparatus opening;   applying a force to compress the products into the container by a compressor in the apparatus;   retaining the products compressed in the container by the insertion of retention means through the closed sides of the apparatus and into the container;   removing the compression force from the products without removing the compressor from the apparatus while the products are retained compressed in the container by the retention means,   opening the apparatus side opening while the retention means is still in the apparatus to provide access to the container and to the retention means still in the sides of the container, and closing the container about the products held compressed therein only by the retention means without the compressing force   removing the container from the apparatus either before or after said closing of the container;   and removing the retention means from the container after the container is closed.   
     
     
       2. In the method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting retaining means further comprises inserting the retaining means through the walls of the container while the compressing force is applied to the products. 
     
     
       3. In a method for packaging expansible products in their fully expanded condition in a container, said method comprising the steps of: introducing into a compressing apparatus having a side opening at least a container having an interior accessible through at least one open side thereof;   further introducing into the compacting apparatus through the side opening thereof products in their fully expanded condition to be packaged within the container through the container opening;   compressing the products from their expanded condition into the container through the open side thereof;   applying retainer means through the container to retain the products compressed in the container;   releasing the compression from the products to permit them to expand but retained compressed by the applied retainer means,   and removing the container with the retainer means from the side opening of the apparatus while products are retained compressed therein by the applied retainer means.   
     
     
       4. In the method of claim 3, further including the step of closing the open side of the container. 
     
     
       5. In the method of claim 4, wherein said closing step occurs before said step of removing the container. 
     
     
       6. In the method of claim 3, wherein the retainer means is inserted through the container while the same is in the compressing apparatus. 
     
     
       7. In the method of claim 6, further including the step of removing the retainer means after closing the open side of the container. 
     
     
       8. A method for the compact packaging of products from their normally expanded condition comprising the steps of: providing a compacting cabinet including a plurality of sides defining an enclosure accessible through upper and lower doors, in which the lower door includes at least one aperture, the compacting cabinet further includes operable compressing means moveable in the cabinet through an opening separate from the doors and having a groove longitudinally extending along the undersurface thereof;   placing in the compacting cabinet through the lower door at least one packaging container having flaps to close an opening;   introducing into the compacting cabinet through the upper door thereof the products to be compactly packaged in the container through its opening;   closing the upper and lower doors;   operating the compressing means to compact the products within the interior of the container;   inserting retention means through the aperture included in the lower door to pierce at least opposite sides of the container and to pass within the groove of the compressing means to extend across the top of the compressed products;   withdrawing the compressing means;   opening the upper door;   closing the flaps to close the opening of the container;   opening the lower door while the retention means is still in the cabinet;   and removing the retention means from the container sides.   
     
     
       9. A method as in claim 8, further including the step of removing from the cabinet the container with the compressed products retained by the retention means and sealing the container after removing it from the cabinet.   
     
     
       10. A method as in claim 8, wherein said step of closing the flaps occurs while the container is still in the cabinet and is followed by removing the container from the cabinet.   
     
     
       11. Apparatus for use in the compact packaging in a container of products compressed from their normal expanded condition comprising: a compacting cabinet having a plurality of sides defining an enclosure, at least a side door on said cabinet through which said enclosure is accessible, said door including at least an aperture;   compressing means movable in said cabinet other than through said side door and including guide means therein, said compressing means being movable downwardly within said cabinet to compress the products compactly within the container;   and retention means insertable through said aperture to pierce the packaging container and move along said guide means while the products are compressed within the container to retain the products compressed to enable said compressing means to release its compression of the products by moving upwardly within the cabinet, said retention means engaging the products in the container to retain them compressed, and said door being openable while said retention means is still in said container and cabinet so that the container and compressed products may be removed from the cabinet side door without necessitating displacement of said compressing means from said cabinet and permitting closure of the container within and also outside the cabinet before removal of said retention means from the container and closure of the same.   
     
     
       12. In an apparatus having a cabinet for packing compressible products in a container positioned in said cabinet to receive the compressible products and closable about the products to contain the same compressed in a closed package, compressing means movable in a side of said cabinet to compress the products into the container through an opening in the container closeable by flaps thereon,   and removable retention means movable through sides of said cabinet other than said side in which said compressing means moves and into engagement with apertured walls of the container while the products are compressed in the container by said compressing means to retain the products compressed therein, said retention means engaging said apertured walls such that when said compressing means is moved away from the compressed products said retention means engaged with said apertured walls retain the products compressed within the container to enable the opening of the container to be closed to form a package of the compressed products without restriction as to whether the container is within or outside of said cabinet,   the container having flaps to close the opening and wherein the flaps are closed over said retention means to close the container opening and to enable said retention means to be removed from the container while the container is still in said cabinet,   said retention means being removable from engagement with the apertured walls of the container to permit the compressed products to expand after the container flaps close the opening over said retention means, and said other side being openable while said retention means is still in said container.   
     
     
       13. In an apparatus as in claim 12, said compressing means having means defined therein to enable said retention means to move above the compressed products into engagement with opposed walls of the container.